Northlake Christian moves past Vandebilt, 3-2, in boys' soccer

Thursday

It's been a tough start to the season for Vandebilt Catholic’s boys soccer and Thursday night didn’t make it any easier.

The Terriers fell 3-2 to Northlake Christian in a closely fought, and at times tense, battle between two of the state’s traditional powerhouses at Buddy Marcello Stadium.

The difference? An own goal in the 72nd minute of play.

“We just kept giving them what they wanted,” Vandebilt coach Paul Shenton said. “Every scoring opportunity they got came from a long throw and we just kept giving them throw-ins. It’s our own fault to be honest. If we didn’t stop that, we played into their own hands. Didn’t do what we needed to do and they did.”

The Wolverines were in control for most of the game, but the Vandebilt (1-5-1 overall) back line was able to clear away most of the chances.

Besides the own goal, the only other scores on Thursday was on an early deflection in the third minute that left a wide open goal for Carlos Avila to bury the shot followed by a penalty kick in the 65th minute that Shenton said after the game he was still unclear about what the call was that gave freshman Jace Windom a free shot from 12 yards out.

“When the season started and we lost our No. 1 goal scorer in Clayton Gill, I was wondering where the goals were going to come,” Northlake Christian coach Nick Chetta said. “But these guys are pressing as a team and creating opportunities. If we can do that, that might be what makes us this year. It’s exciting to see all those opportunities, especially against a very good Vandebilt team.”

That’s not to say Vandebilt didn’t have its own chances.

The Terriers missed several prime opportunities against their Division IV visitors, including a wide open shot from point-blank range in the 15th minute that wrapped off the left post.

But just two minutes later James Leaber was able to make a play on the well placed cross from Brian Gramajo to tie the game in the first half.

Vandebilt did its best to rally in the closing minutes of the game, scoring on a textbook header by Reid Bourg off a cross on the final play of the game.

Northlake Christian played the last four minutes of regulation and stoppage time with only 10 men after a soft red card put them at a disadvantage. The Wolverines also drew two more yellow cards as tensions rose near the final whistle.

“We started off wrong,” Shenton said. “We started a player who wasn’t healthy and we shouldn’t have done that. We gave them the first goal and then 20 minutes left in the first half we kind of crept back into it and created some opportunities but just didn’t take them. The second half they kept the pressure on us and didn’t let us get out of our half. We just kept giving them throw in after throw in, and when we out ourselves under that much pressure, we’re going to concede goals.”